Aline Miller: My biggest mistakes, learnings and lessons as the CEO of a university spinout

In this episode of the Research Adventure podcast, we meet Prof Aline Miller, Chief Scientific Officer of Unit M and former CEO of Manchester BioGel, a biotech spinout from the University of Manchester.

Aline reflects on her journey from academia to entrepreneurship, sharing the six biggest mistakes she made as CEO, including giving away too much equity, hiring the wrong people, and starting to sell too early. Alongside these hard-won lessons, she offers practical advice for researchers and founders preparing to take their own ideas to market.

We also explore how she aligned her academic identity with the realities of leading a startup, the systemic challenges universities face in commercialisation, and why building strong teams and infrastructure is essential for sustainable innovation.

Now at Unit M, Aline is helping to shape the future of research impact in Manchester, supporting students, researchers, and spinouts to create economic growth and lasting change.